This wasn’t

the first time Xia Fen has entered the palace, compared to the other children

of influential families, the palace was almost his second home.

The emperor

led a banquet at the Qifu palace with the officials and other influential

family’s son, while the empress watched singing and dancing in the rear palace with

the imperial concubines, princesses and the mothers and wives of officials. The

banquet had just begun, after the emperor and the crown prince saw the court

councillors, they saw Xia Fen behind w.a.n.g Yun Feng.

The emperor

beckoned Xia Fen forward, good-naturedly asking him about his studies. Xia Fen

had already long ago experienced the stringent rules of the imperial palace, he

exceedingly understood this emperor was not as harmless as he appeared on the

surface. 

On the contrary, when the emperor smile and spoke even more gently and

softly, maybe in his mind at that exact moment was sharpening a knife,

preparing to stab you once at any time. Before Xia Fen entered the palace he

had been warned repeated by his parents numerous times, pursing his lips, his

heart had long before tensed. He honestly and sincerely replied about all his

performance records in literary and martial arts, the emperor laughed heartily:

“My fond w.a.n.g, you as a literary official actually cannot teach your son well,

this is a serious mistake ah.”

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng kowtowed, only saying: “To feed without teaching is the father's fault,

the emperor is correct.”

The emperor

rubbed the top of the crown prince’s head: “I hear you stil haven’t given your

first son a formal personal name?”

“Yes.”

The emperor

grunted, pondering a while: “Then we will give him a name on your behalf.

Surname w.a.n.g, name Zi Feng. Crown prince, tell me what you think?”

The crown

prince bowed respectfully: “Father emperor bestowing a name, is w.a.n.g Zi Feng’s

good fortune. I your son thank you on behalf of Zi Feng for your grace.” He

stopped talking, then he kowtowed.

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng immediately pulled on Xia Fen, that is the now w.a.n.g Zi Feng kowtow to

thank the emperor for his favour.

The emperor

put on such a show, everyone also knew this was to make clear of w.a.n.g Zi 

Feng’s

ident.i.ty. With the crown prince taking the lead in the thanks, some day in the

future this w.a.n.g Zi Feng will be a member of the crown prince’s inner

ministerial circle, common people would not dare to make an issue of his

status.

Every time

to celebrate new year, the emperor would grant general pardons, at the same

time bestow rewards on hundreds of officials. After his son was conferred a

name, w.a.n.g Yun Feng, from fifth rank was promoted to forth rank imperial censor

supervisor, even though he wasn’t promoted back to his previous third rank, it pacified

a lot of people.

After an

hour Xia Ling Mei, at the empress’s dwelling heard the palace eunuch read the

imperial decree, felt sad temporarily. The females in the Xia family were all

tranquil and natural, clearly again expecting this outcome. Amongst the

influential families that w.a.n.g Yun Feng had offended before, some people found

it difficult to avoid showing a trace of obscured hatred, however, everyone

were females of wealthy families who had seen the matters of the world, their

mood promptly pa.s.sed with a turn, not long after talking and laughing again in

the middle of the songs and dance celebrations. Out of the corner of her eye

Xia Ling Mei looked at the empress in a high position, the other person did not

give her a little attention. Up until before she left the palace, then did she

see the empress trusted palace maid, the other person quietly delivered a short

sentence: “The position of imperial censor is exceedingly right, please may

Lord w.a.n.g remain clean-living and honest.”

Xia Ling

Mei hand tensed, turning around, she bowed in the direction of the Feng Xian

Palace.

Leaving the

palace, the curtain of darkness had just been drawn.

Inside the

carriage, w.a.n.g Yun Feng was just unable to tolerate from being vexed at the

stubbornness to w.a.n.g Zi Feng’s own correct name: “Remember, from now on if

someone calls you `Xia Fen` again, you must strictly remind the other person,

you’re now called w.a.n.g Zi Feng.”

w.a.n.g Zi

Feng puffed out his cheeks: “Xia Fen is better.”

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng frowned: “You want to be punished?”

“No.”

“Then

listen to your dad.”

“Humph!”

Xia Ling

Mei got in the carriage, laughing she said: “Being called a name for nearly

seven years, it can’t just be changed right away. Why not in the future in

front of outsiders, no matter who they are we will call you Zi Feng, in

private, you parents will call you `Fen Er`, all right?”

w.a.n.g Zi

Feng thew himself in to his mother’s arms, using his head to rub against her

belly: “In the future younger brother or sister will also call me older brother

Fen.”

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng was somewhat annoyed, and yet somewhat love to spoil him, pulling his son

away from Xia Ling Mei’s body: “Then your nickname will be `Fen Er`.” After

all, he had asked the emperor for this favour before he had left Beiding city

for the disaster relief, simply to avoid the older generation of the w.a.n.g

family from inciting trouble. His son, naturally must be surnamed w.a.n.g. He

won’t say, this also stops the rumours inside the Imperial city about Xia Ling

Mei being chronically ill and unable to give birth, even though this rumour had

now already been broken, however he did not want Xia Ling Mei to again be

wronged even a little bit. As for himself, those mocking and ridicules he had

suffered before, were in the past, he won’t say, she also will not know.

On new

year’s eve, the whole family offered sacrifice to the ancestors, ate a new year

family dinner, and handed red envelopes to the family servants, it was rare for

it to be so lively.

The old

housekeeper’s spirit was all the higher than before. When he was busy every

day, he would walk and sway his hips at the same time. He had originally wanted

to invite a theatrical troupe to perform in the residence on the night of new

year’s eve. It was important to know in the previous years amongst all the

official residences in Beiding city, the w.a.n.g residence was the most cheerless,

not only was its master closed off completely, even the servants did not dare

to relax and smile in front of him, at that time the old housekeeper would

invite a theatrical troupe, singing from the afternoon through to the evening,

right until the sound of the new year bell rang, then would be announce his

phony liveliness can stop.

But this

year the mistress was here, there was the young master, there were two more

masters, Master w.a.n.g had a rare relaxed and satisfied expression. Xia Ling Mei

without thinking just cancelled the troupe, getting someone to buy quite a lot

of fireworks.

Waiting

until the fireworks from over at the palace exploded and echoed in the sky,

w.a.n.g Zi Feng also grabbed hold of a thick and solid large incense stick,

sliding along he lit ten fireworks, `pop, pop, pop` he almost dyed the darkness

into a colourful satin. There weren’t these things in the barracks, w.a.n.g Zi

Feng seized all the fireworks by himself, he speedily spread them over the

entire open s.p.a.ce, laughing loudly along with the exploding fireworks, he

didn’t even care about the fallen ash covering his head.

Layers of

thick ash piled up on the ground, Xiu Yu at long last could no longer carry on

watching, with Ying s.h.i.+ they grabbed him together to throw him into a bath.

Bai Yan and

Juan Shu also returned home, after Xiao Bai and Xiao Hei arranged the defences,

gathered on a spot on the roof, watching the occasional firework which rushed

out of the courtyard while drinking wine, exchanging a few blows. Wu Sheng

pulled out Nu Ju from a small house, going to the kitchen to steal several

hundred grams of beef as well as the pastries the mistress personally made,

then Kong Xian grabbed Bai Shu to go into the wine cellar to carry out several

jugs of good wine, together huddled in a secluded little courtyard, starting to

teach these two children how to be men. With regards to being a man,

celebrating the new year you should not hide in secret and covertly envy

others, they should be with their brothers, drink large mouthfuls of wine and

big bites of meat, then…in the middle of the night go to pleasure houses to

freely and happily spend the second half of the night, and not live in vain.

After

midnight, after the bustle the Imperial city at last quietened down. w.a.n.g Zi

Feng carried a book on the art of war given to him by w.a.n.g Yun Feng, a flexible

sword hung down from his waist which Xia Ling Mei had gotten someone to

specially forge, beside him on the bed was also piled up a small brocade box of

the Four Treasures of the Study which he had kicked away, a heavy longevity

gold necklace wrapped around his neck, with a flushed complexion he fell

asleep.

Xia Ling

Mei wiped dry his sweat with a handkerchief, taking off his outer garments for

him, after covering him with a quilt then did she complain to w.a.n.g Yun Feng: “At

the barracks he’s never drank such potent wine, you know he can’t drink much

yet you still encourage him to drink a large cup, allowing him to suffer

tonight.”

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng was separated by a screen, sitting on the outside section on the warm

couch pouring and drinking himself, having heard what was said he smiled: “He

says he wants to be a great general in the future, how can he not handle his

wine.”

Xia Ling

Mei walked over: “He’s still not yet seven years old.”

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng got up to help her sit down, Xia Ling Mei swatted away his wolf claws:

“I’m still not that weak.”

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng sniffed at her neck, the wine fragrance exhaled was warm, the warmth was

also lazy, he lightly laughed: “I want to do this, and there are no outsiders

to see.”

Xia Ling

Mei felt that this so called father was also drunk, moving away the wine cup in

his hand a little bit: “Don’t drink anymore. To see the new year you have to

observe it through the entire night.”

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng stretched his legs, coming close to her he muttered: “What to do to stay

up late?”

Xia Ling

Mei thought about it: “Before at my parents’ home a large group of sisters got

together to chat and laugh, en, do you want to play mah-jong, I’ll get someone

to call the old housekeeper over, or maybe Bai Zi and Hei Zi. The old

housekeeper work hard all year round, let him enjoy comfortably at his own home

tonight.”

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng reached out to hold her waist, he couldn’t help use that s.h.a.ggy head of

his to lightly rub against her slightly extended belly. There was underfloor

heating in the house, Xia Ling Mei only wore a short-sleeved dress, a sleeveless

jacket covering her, she also drank a bit of wine, right now her body was a

little bit warm, it may be a.s.sumed it was the wine flaring up.

Having

spoken, yet w.a.n.g Yun Feng did not reply, Xia Ling Mei considered it carefully

for a little bit the all of a sudden she knew he didn’t want to be with other

people, and dropped the subject.

The two

people quietly sat together side by side, not saying anything, once in a while

w.a.n.g Yun Feng would take a mouthful of warm wine, and not drink it himself but

extend his neck and pour it into Xia Ling Mei’s mouth. If it was the past, the

serious and cold imperial censor w.a.n.g would definitely not act in such a

manner, Xia Ling Mei was determined he was already very intoxicated. It was

impossible to speak clearly to a drunk, only drink along with him, he poured

mouthful by mouthful, Xia Ling Mei drank mouthful by mouthful. Until finally,

Xia Ling Mei sleeveless jacket was also taken off, her pinned hair was a mess,

misty eyed from intoxication, the scarlet which appeared to not exist on her

white cheeks looked quite enchanting.

It was

extremely quiet outside the room, faintly from inside the room sound of water

puddling together could be heard. w.a.n.g Yun Feng from time to time kissed her

from different angles, carefully caressing her belly, occasionally muttered

some inaudible rubbish. Xia Ling Mei was so intoxicated her head wasn’t clear,

only feeling him hold her hand very 

tightly, his breathes touching her cheeks.

In the haze, her skirt moved as if it was being lifted up, her body burned from

head to toe, making her unable to tell if she was in a dream or somewhere else.

Apparently

she still heard w.a.n.g Yun Feng ask her: “Stay with me from now on okay?”

She

laughed, not replying.

That person

pinched her waist, since she had gotten pregnant, her waist was always very

ticklish, Xia Ling Mei struggled for a little while, she could only say:

“Fine.”

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng again said: “In the future you must not leave me, okay?”

Xia Ling

Mei thought about it, that person’s actions was a bit rougher, she gasped,

nodding she said: “Fine.”

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng felt it was still not enough, continuing to entice in her ear: “Say `Xia

Ling Mei is w.a.n.g Yun Feng’s wife`.”

She’s

always been his wife ah, is there a point to have to say it

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng’s wolf claws also pressed down at her back, she felt herself burn up, with

a slight sobbing tone she said: “I’m your wife.”

The person

on her was satisfied, sighing with a kiss on her temple, sucking in her tears.

Xia Ling

Mei felt very tired, asking him in a daze: “What time is it?”

“It’s still

early.” He said, “It’s still early in our lifetime, very early.”

Xia Ling

Mei beat on his back: “You’re too heavy, get off.”

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng again laughed, turning to lie down on her side, picking up the bedding to

cover the two of them well.

At the side

of the bed, that pot of strong alcoholic drink was already on its side, not a

single drop of wine leaked out, it was not certain who had actually finished it.

*************************************************************************************

T/N: Late update but only because so I can get 3 chapters completed! 

Also please be reminded that at the time the story was set alcohol might not have been necessarily considered a bad thing to drink when pregnant. We now know of a thing called Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.